Prep football preview: Thunder Ridge relying on senior leadership as program continues to grow

IDAHO FALLS — Thunder Ridge vanished 1-8 a twelvemonth agone but was playing amended toward nan extremity of past season.

That’s nan benignant of momentum coach Michael Berger hopes to spot arsenic nan squad enters 2024.

The Titans graduated conscionable 7 players and person much than 20 seniors successful camp, astir of whom saw plentifulness of playing clip arsenic underclassmen.

“The civilization decidedly has improved,” Berger said. “These kids person been pinch maine since they were sophomores, truthful they cognize nan expectations and really our coaches are going to grip them. We person immoderate beardown elder leadership. It makes maine excited for nan twelvemonth … now it’s conscionable america against us. We request to put it each together connected Friday nights this year.”

The team’s acquisition starts connected nan protect broadside wherever nan Titans return a halfway group successful nan backmost seven.

Defensive backs Deyton Skinner and Max Hall return, arsenic do linebackers Trevor Vincent and Jaron Sautter. The protect statement is comparatively young, Berger noted, but expectations are to get everybody connected nan aforesaid page arsenic quickly arsenic possible.

The situation connected nan violative broadside is to amended nan moving game, which struggled overmuch of past season.

Linemen Mason Blaine and Andrew Daines return aft earning All-Conference Honorable Mention past season.

As of this week, nan backmost position is still a title betwixt Ryder Portmann, who played nan past 5 games of past twelvemonth arsenic a freshman, and Ezra Moss, who besides played past season.

“We’ll play nan backmost that gives america nan champion opportunity to win,” Berger said, noting nan extremity is to unfastened nan play pinch 1 clear starter.

Running backs Hunter Hennefer and Bowen Rose will beryllium tasked pinch helping to amended nan team’s crushed game.

Experience could beryllium nan apical storyline heading into 2024.

“This year, we, benignant of, cognize what nan expectations are and that’s what helps,” Berger said. “They are prepared for immoderate is thrown astatine them and now they conscionable person to spell execute. With that experience, they tin besides thatch nan young guys and make it a taste thing.”

As expected, nan 6A District 5-6 convention will beryllium reliable pinch perennial powers Highland and Rigby already classed successful nan preseason authorities media poll.

“If we want to beryllium competitory we person to support improving and getting better,” Berger said. “We can’t make immoderate excuses. This is simply a very bully conference. I’d reason it’s nan champion convention successful nan state, but we can’t awkward distant from that. … If we want to get up to that level past we person to compete. That’s wherever I’m hoping this twelvemonth our elder activity competes and shows that we beryllium and conflict for a spot successful that conference.”